Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa February/March 2019 | Page 12

MASTER INVESTOR
On Rhys’ first deal he netted himself over R1 million
in profit. He concluded an investment in FWJK’s fifth co-
development project dubbed “Ridge 5” where he acquired
a 145m2 sectional title office unit in Umhlanga Ridge,
Durban at R16  700 per m2. He sold the property on
completion 18 months later, for a healthy return of R24 300
per m2. This experience taught him the power of using
the bank’s money to leverage your own wealth-creation
aspirations. He learnt the art of not over-extending himself
with the banks money. He realised after some sleepless
nights of wondering whether he would be able to conclude
the on-sale that he would not have been able to afford the
bond repayments without having a tenant. This was another
moment of truth in his investment career.
Rhys’ business philosophy is to foremost pursue an
outcomes driven approach to business endeavours. His
employees enjoy generous flexi-time and discretionary
RHYS’ TOP INVESTMENT TIPS:
• Invest in real estate first
• Stay away from the stock market as it is difficult
to track and understand the markets
• Diversify your property portfolio into multiple
sectors of real estate including residential, indus-
trial, commercial, medical and retail.
• Location, location, location is important for
returns!
• Use the bank’s money to best effect
• Always buy under market value to ensure the
rental covers the bond repayments.
• Continually be prepared to learn
This 7000 m² office building in Ridgeside,
Umhlanga was completed in 2016.
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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
leave but are taught the skill of self-management and
accountability and often work in teams during odd hours
to meet deadlines. Ultimately, his employees come first, as
their happiness and fulfilment ensures that their clients
and investors receive the highest level of attention and
professionalism.
His career and business highlights include earning his
professional status as a Chartered Quantity Surveyor,
registration of his first property development and becoming
part of FWJK’s national executive and seeing the firm grow
from strength to strength. The lows include dealing with
dilatory and incompetent individuals in the local Council
Development Planning departments.
Rhys sees many opportunities in the property sector/
industry in South Africa as well as throughout Africa.
Property growth in South Africa and Africa presents
various compelling opportunities to undertake purposeful
and profitable property developments. He learns something
new every day. Perhaps, the hardest lesson for him has been
learning to trust those around him given his keen attention
to detail in managing an ever-expanding operation.
FWJK’s future is most certainly exciting and they
enjoy over four million square metres of secured new
developments in the national pipeline. These new
developments include mixed-use buildings, office
accommodation, residential apartments, industrial estates,
medical facilities, hotels, private hospitals and retail centres
to the value of approximately R150bn. They have won many
awards for their efforts including PMR Africa award for
business excellence in Property Development, Architecture,
Project Management and Quantity Surveying. His vision
for the company is to continue managing its growth in a
responsible way and to venture outside of South Africa to
their next target destinations of New York, London and
Perth on a ten year horizon.
In his opinion, South Africa is following established
trends seen previously in the development of other first